


Born to a world of War and Games

by Christella123



Series: The White Rose Series [1]
Category: Hunger Games - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24752326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Christella123/pseuds/Christella123
Summary: The Catching Fire plot, but in this version Katniss is pregnant and has to compete in the hunger games while carrying the baby. We begin just after Cinna’s death as she enters for the 75th Hunger games...
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Series: The White Rose Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1837027
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43
Collections: Hunger games





	1. Let the Games Begin...

The screams are dying in my throat as the tube pushes me, up, up towards daylight, or the capitols twisted version of it. One name echoes through my head. “Cinna”, “Cinna”, “Cinna”. My tears fall, unbroken by my choking. Suddenly the blinding light clears and I find myself staring at a rainforest which stretches for as far as I can see. In my bleariness I almost stumble but as I look down all I can see is shimmering. My first thought is “force field,” but as my vision clears I suddenly realise it is water. My hand immediately flies to my stomach. It has been 8 months and my stomach has swollen so much that I can no longer hide my pregnancy. Yet Snow has still sent me into this bloodbath, but he will know, if I am killed. He will not only have my blood on his hands, but also that of my unborn child. 

10, 9, 8, I am jerked back into reality. I realise I have no idea where Peeta is. I frantically look for him as I know he will be looking for me. 7, 6, 5, I begin to panic. I can’t find him. 4, 3, I decide to concentrate on the water. I have to swim, I have to. 2, 1... The horn blasts into the arena. I dive off the podium. The bump is not as heavy as I thought and swimming is easier but my heart is racing faster than ever before. My hand hits something cold and hard and I find myself at the rocks. I attempt to pull myself out of the water but my weight keeps dragging me down into the water. Panic overtakes me. I need to get out. I have to run. All of a sudden I feel something dragging me up. The hands are unfamiliar and a scream lodges itself in my throat but as I look down at the hands I see a gold bangle. It’s Haymitch’s. I look up and Finnick Odair is pushing me behind him as another tribute launches for him. I can barely speak but a word slips out,  
“Peeta.”  
Finnick turns around and starts moving around the cornucopia,  
“Let’s go find him then shall we.”  
As we run round we find Mags pointing to where Peeta and another tribute are fighting in the water. I scream Peeta’s name and Finnick dives in, just as they both go under. Boom. The canon sounds and someone floats to the surface. Fear grips me. All of a sudden, Peeta emerges from the surface gasping for air. Relief ripples through me.  
“We’ve got to run!” I shout as Peeta and Finnick swim towards us. I help them out of the water and we begin to run. Peeta runs next to me, and although he tries not to be obvious, I see him looking at our baby with worry in his eyes and I already know the same worry is reflected in mine. 

The jungle stretched out in front of us. Mags is on Finnick’s back who leads us and behind me Peeta runs, forming a bodyguard for me. As the beach becomes further away from us we begin to slow and discuss what we’re going to do. Peeta decides to take the front and begin the search for fresh water. I offer to do it for him but the concern in his eyes says enough and I back down. The Games have only just begun but my hunger and thirst begin to tire me, with not only one, but two to feed. Peeta senses my tiredness and suggests we look for food and continue looking for water after. 

After an hour we have some nuts Mags seemed to deem alright, she’s been eating them since we began searching, a tree rat I shot, and a lizard. Just as we began our meal the echoing of a parachute sounded nearby and within we found 8 bread rolls and a strange metal object. The bread rolls helped our hunger but our thirst was still strong. The metal object sat amongst our camp but no of us could think what it was. We decided to get some rest with Finnick on first watch. I went over to Peeta and we lay together, he put his hand on my stomach and I rested my hand on his. Maybe if things were different we could be a proper family. My mind wandered back to the woods and my father when we would go hunting. We would eat our own game and whenever we got thirsty would drink from a -  
“Spile!” I exclaimed. Grabbing the metal object. Finnick looked up, confused. “It’s a spile!” I said “I remember my father using one once.” I moved over to a tree and with the help of Finnick and Peeta I could put it in. All of a sudden a stream of water came out. My body flooded with relief. We drank until our thirst was quenched then washed our hands and faces. When we were done, I offered to take a watch. Although both Peeta and Finnick resisted, thier exhaustion won out and eventually they went to sleep.


	2. It’s coming...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss has fallen asleep but behind her the fog is looming. But it’s not the only challenge she will face.

I woke up with a start. I’d fallen asleep. I quickly glanced over to Peeta but he was sound asleep. I placed my hand on my belly and there faintly I felt the kicking of a small child. A smile spread across my face, through all the horror of the games. There was still some hope. Then suddenly I felt an eerie silence overcome the jungle. As I turned I saw wisps of white fog curl towards me. I stretched out my hand. And that’s when the incurable pain started. 

“RUN!” I screamed pulling myself up, “The fog, its poisoness, RUN!” The others immediately scrambled up. I began to run but not very fast. My legs felt foreign beneath me and my stomach felt heavier than before. Tears of frustration ran down my cheeks. The fog moved ominously towards us. Suddenly my legs gave way and I was down. I tried to get up but my weight dragged me down. Peeta ran back to help me but was burnt all up his back in the process. He was shaking and jittering but ran with me, hand in hand. But he kept stumbling and soon he fell down.   
“Finnick,” is shouted “help I can’t carry him.” Finnick ran over Mags with him.   
“I can’t carry them both,” he said urgently. Suddenly Mags was there, kissing Finnick on the cheek and then she was gone. Into the fog.   
“No!” Screamed Finnick. My heart ached for him but the fog was moving in and Peeta was still down.   
“Finnick we have to go,” I whispered “we have to go.” Finnick looked at me and nodded. We both lifted Peeta and began to run as fast as we could. The fog so close it was burning our backs. All of a sudden, my feet went from underneath me and we’re rolling, rolling down a hill. I try to fight but I have nothing left. At the bottom I lay there as the fog gets closer and try to move but my body won’t let me. But as I give up hope, the fog seems to bounce off an invisible force field and dissipate into the air. I can’t stop shaking but the relief is immense. I’m still alive. I put my hand to my stomach. At first panic grips me that I can’t feel anything but after a few minutes I feel the kicking and my heart slows again. I turn myself and see water stretched before me. I move towards it. The pain is searing at first but after a while it subsides.   
“The water,” I croak “it helps.” 

A while later we are all cleaned of the blisters. Peeta comes to me and holds me. As he pulls back I answer the question in his eyes.   
“Still alive,” I say. His face relaxes and he smiles before placing a hand on my stomach. Then his face pulls tight as he looks behind me at something. I look behind me and come face to face with a monkey.   
“Mutts.” He whispers. Finnick has realised too and begins to move toward us.   
“Get to the beach,” he says “On my count, 1,2...3.” We begin sprinting towards the beach. The mutts begin howling and chasing after us. I fire arrow after arrow at them and Peeta slashes with his knife and Finnick whirls his trident. We are almost at the beach when Peeta is knocked down and his knife flung. The Mutt heads straight for him but suddenly there is someone else in front of him. A Morphling. Peeta’s shock shows and he is stunned for a moment before picking up the Morphling and running towards the beach with Finnick and I in tow.   
As we draw close to the water, the monkeys seem to hold back, as if blocked by something. Peeta and I wade into the water. He begins talking to the Morphling. Ramblings about colours and paints and flowers, but the Morphling hangs onto every word. It seems an age before her eyes finally close for the last time and we float her out into the water. As I look back and begin to head towards the beach I can see that the monkeys have gone. But just as I reach the beach, I feel a sharp pain in my stomach. I look at Peeta and he must see the panic in my eyes because he rushes over.   
“What is it?” He asks, looking me over. Another wave of pain hits and it’s all I can do not to cry out.   
“The baby.” I grit out, “it’s coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like I had to stop it here! I hope you guys enjoy x


	3. Born to a world of War and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss has just begun having contractions, the fate of her and her baby now lies in the hands of the capital...

Peeta’s eyes widened a words forming on his lips.  
“Holy Shit.” The wave hits again and I sink to the ground. Finnick turns around.  
“What’s going on?” He asks. But one look at me and he already knows.  
“Quick, The monkeys have gone get her to the water.” Together they carry me to the water. The pain is coming in waves and getting more unbearable. I grab onto Peeta’s hand but then I realise. I still have my jumpsuit on. Finnick seems to already know. “I won’t look, take it off and go into the water.” I nod because I can’t form words. With Peeta’s help I remove the jumpsuit leaving only my top undergarments and slide into the water. Gripping onto Peeta’s hand. Finnick comes back over and I realise he must be the one to deliver the baby. Finnick goes slightly pale but nods. Waves and waves of pain hit me, worse and worse. I try not to scream but I can barely stop myself. Only gripping Peeta’s hand is keeping me sane. But suddenly a huge wave of pain hits and then all I can see is black. 

I see a meadow. There a little girl who is playing in the flowers, dancing and singing. I watch her and feel the joy she feels. But there’s a funny noise like someone calling my name and suddenly water rushes over the meadow and- 

I wake up with a start. Peeta is no longer beside me but I’m still in the water. I feel weak and can barely lift my head but I turn slightly to the left and Peeta is there. But there is something in his arms. My baby. Our baby. He looks over to me, sees I am awake and a smile spreads over his face. Slowly he comes over to me.  
“It’s a girl.” He says. I finally see her. She is wrinkled and so so small but she is moving and breathing. Peeta has taken off his underlayer and wrapped it around her. She has beautiful blue eyes just like her father but some of my brown hair. I suddenly become aware of my thirst and also the aching in my breast. I realise I have to feed her. Tentatively I pull myself out of the water and Finnick brings me my jumpsuit to cover myself with and some water. I thank him, for that and for everything. He nods and retreats. I can see in his eyes he’s thinking about Mags and so watch him walk back up to the beach. 

I manage to shuffle myself towards Peeta. The way he looks at me, with so much love, makes me want to cry. But instead I reach for my baby. In my arms she is even smaller and fragile and I realise I will protect this baby no matter what. Her eyes are open and she looks up at me, as if in wonder. I hold her tight to me and kiss her forehead. I look at Peeta,  
“What are we going to name her?” I ask.  
“Rue,” he replies. Tears spring to my eyes but I reply,  
“Rue Magdeline Mellark,” I whisper.  
“No,” Peeta says, “Everdeen-Mellark.” We smile and I kiss her forehead again, little Rue, to live on in her memory. Rue Magdeline Everdeen-Mellark. It’s not long before we here the ringing of a parachute. It is bigger than usual. We open it and inside are clothes and nappies and cream. We both dress her and then I hand her back to Peeta so I can stand up, but as I do I knock the parachute and a piece of paper falls out, it has fancy writing and I read it aloud to Peeta.  
“Dear Miss Everdeen,  
You have exactly 1 hour before we come to take the baby. We give you confidence we will bring the baby back to district 12 to be looked after by your family, but if one of you does make it, custody will be handed back to you. This is to ensure the safety of the baby. Thank you,  
And may the Odds be ever in your Favour.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like the name! Thanks for reading! X


	4. The Last Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peeta and Katniss have a decision to make as to what will happen to their baby. Will they give her to the Capitol or keep her to face the horrors of the games...

I feel sick, I feel guilty, I feel angry I feel... relieved. I look at Peeta and it must show because past his anger he looks confused at my expression.  
“She’ll be out,” I say, “out of the games and won’t be in danger.”  
“Katniss it’s the capitol, who knows what they’ll do with her, where she’s in more danger I don’t know,” he speaks in a whisper because we know all eyes will be glued on screens for this moment.  
“Peeta, we have to trust them, it’s the best chance we’ve got.” He seems to understand but I can still see the anger in his eyes.  
Rue has woken up and started to squirm in his arms.  
“I’ll take her,” I say and we head back up to the beach. Finnick is there. His eyes are red from crying yet he tries to hide it and smiles up at us when we come over.  
“She’s beautiful,” he says “what did you name her?”,  
“Rue Magdeline Everdeen-Mellark,” says Peeta. Finnick smiles and fresh tears seem to spring to his eyes but he holds them back,  
“A beautiful name for a beautiful baby.” He says.  
“Would you like to hold her I ask.” He knows how much that means, how vulnerable I make myself but I know now I trust Finnick and I trust him with this. He nods and I hand her to him. He seems so natural with her and he smiles, the first I’ve seen him do since Mags died. He hands the baby back to me and thanks me.  
“I’ll go and get some water.” He says and wonders back into the forest. Me and Peeta sit on the beach and suddenly I’m talking. I tell her all about our life back home, knowing the Capitol are watching I keep some parts to myself, about her new Aunt Prim who is a nurse and will make the best aunt and her Grandmother who is also a doctor. About Gale and who he is, Greasy Sae, Marge and every other good person in my life I can think of. She and Peeta listen and then he talks about the bakery and his parents and district 12. She looks up at me as if she understands, she is my small beacon of hope.  
The whirring of propellers brings us out of our nostalgia. A crane like the one carrying dead tributes comes down above us but this time it has a small cradle to place Rue in. An hour was no time at all, I still have her in my arms but I already miss her, but I know doing this, is her best chance to live, her only chance to live. I kiss her forehead and hold her close to me and Peeta also kisses her. Together we place her in the cradle. Peeta holds me close as we watch the cradle slowly rise and a new feeling of fear settles in and I hope to the heavens that she will make it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy x


	5. Truth in a world of War and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This now skips to the part where they are on the aircraft after the tree blows up.

The calm breeze of the meadow washes over me. Refreshing and cool. I lie with Peeta on a bed of yellow flowers, our hands intertwined. I hear the shrieks of our two children playing in the meadow and a warmth spreads over my body, but the warmth is getting hotter and hotter. The flowers burst into flame, I run for my children and cling to Peeta, but he is fading into the smoke.   
“Peeta,” I scream, “Peeta!”   
I awake, screaming and panicking, and there’s something over my mouth that I bat off, a ventilator. I look around me and I see Beetee, but no Peeta. I finally come to my sense as to where we are. We’re on a capitol airship, like the one that took me and Peeta when the last games ended. 

I try and remember what happened and press my hands to my temples, hoping it’ll trigger something. I look around and my eyes rest on Beetee... and it all comes flooding back. We were carrying out Beetee’s plan. Images engulf me, one after another, they hit me like an oncoming train, the wire snaps, Johanna cutting my arm, Beetee lying on the floor, Finnick looking at me, Me shooting up towards the dome and then I remember darkness... 

I suddenly hear voices coming from the room across where I was lying. They sound familiar, Peeta? I slowly make my way towards the door, maybe he’s made it? Maybe he’s woke up before me and is negotiating with whoever is in this room? Maybe he’s waiting for me? Maybe- 

The door slides open. Peeta is not there. The first face I see is Haymitch, and then Plutarch, the Head Gamemaker and Finnick. It’s such an odd combination of people that it takes me a minute to compute what’s going on.   
“Oh you’re awake sweetheart,” I hear Haymitch say. But my eyes are fixed on Finnick.   
“Where is he?” I whisper, my voice barely mustering the strength to utter those words. He looks down. My heart stops. Why did he look down. What are they not telling me. “Where is he?” I repeat 

“Katniss, we need to talk in private...” Finnick says, 

“Where is he?” I repeat, weakness no longer bars my voice, I speak out and loud. Plutarch turns around as if to use the computer, but I know that he is avoiding my eyes. Haymitch opens the door behind me. 

“Katniss I need you to stay calm and follow me, we need to talk.” repeats Finnick

“I want to know where he is!” I begin to raise my voice, “where the hell is Peeta.”

“Katniss please, please I understand, I understand but I need you to come with me.” It takes everything I have not to attack him right there and take Haymitch and the damned Head Gamemaker down with him. But I know that would get me nowhere, so I walk with him, my shoulders stiff from tension, my eyes stinging from tears I will not let fall. He turns down one of the thin corridors that converges to a door. I watch it slide open and I catch a glimpse of red and I think I see movement. I rush to the door, the call of his name lodged in my throat, but it is simply the movement outside the window of the hovercraft as we fly. I slump against the frame, a moment of adrenaline that fleets like the passing trees beneath the window. I stumble to a chair and sit myself down, pulling my legs up to my chin and breathing as steadily as I can manage. Finnick comes up behind me and the doors slide shut. He sits down beside me I finally look into his eyes. They have the reddish tint of those recently filled with tears. We are alone now. No more secrets. No more lies.   
“When you fired that arrow. Everything changed. Johanna got your tracker out in time and Plutarch and Haymitch came on a hovercraft to take you from the arena. I have known for months now about this plan. The districts are angry Katniss and they look to you. You are their hope.”  
“I don’t want to be anybody’s hope,” I whisper, “I barely have any left for myself. Please Finnick please. Where is he.” He looks at me long and hard. And I can see he is judging how to tell me. I know what he is going to say before he can even begin to form the words.   
“Katniss the Capitol has Peeta. They took him and Annie too...”   
I can’t think. I can barely breathe. The agony tearing through me is unbearable. I feel Finnick’s agony too, a tenuous link holding us together. The pain that we share. I want to feel angry, I want to storm into the room when Haymitch and Plutarch sit and scream that they should have saved Peeta, but I can’t. We sit in silence. Bathe in it until sorrow fills every pore in my body. Until I suddenly realise.   
“My baby. My Rue. Where is she? Did Mum and Prim get her?.” My final hope. My final chance to stop the crack in my heart from shattering me entirely. Finnick looks up. “Please Finnick, I can’t possibly break anymore. Just tell me the truth.”

“I asked the same question to Haymitch as soon as I woke up. He told me that they never broadcast the birth or the baby being taken by the capitol. The announcement was never shown on television and people had no idea that you’d had the baby...”

“But surely later when they filmed me they could see the baby bump wasn’t there... surely they would realise...”

“Katniss, they never showed below your chest from that moment onwards. If they did it was from a distance because you still could pass as pregnant in the initial days after the pregnancy. Haymitch wouldn’t believe me when he said you’d had the baby. No one knew Katniss. The Capitol covered it up.” 

“But... but” I said, trying desperately to answer the question, “where is she? Where is my baby Rue?”

“Katniss. No one knows.” He says. Then it hits me. My daughter and my husband. Gone. Then I feel the tears, dropping onto my bare arms and I shake and the sobs wrack me as I cry. Finnick reaches out to hold my hand and I let him. I cry and sob until my head is rested on Finnick’s lap and my grief carried me into my dreams.


	6. Lost in a world of War and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss has found out that her daughter and husband are in the capitol. But their fate is out of her hands...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this book. I’m going to continue the idea. But I’m going to lengthen the war a bit more so the child has time to grow up...

Cornelius Snow:

“Well aren’t you precious.” I drawl holding the little child in my arms close to my chest. She doesn’t stir. She sleeps on, peaceful. Oh how I wish this world could be peaceful, but the districts don’t like the peace. They don’t appreciate how destructive war can be.   
“Your mother,” I croon, “Has caused me a lot of trouble young one.” The baby sleeps on unaware. “Rue they called you. A name of hope. Well too much hope is dangerous darling. But not when it can be contained. My dear Tristesse, one day you will learn just how powerful you are.”   
I placed her back in her cot and called for the wet nurse I had hired. She hurried to the room and I left and closed the double doors behind me. I smiled. For what is more powerful than the love a mother has for her baby child?   
“My dear Katniss,” I smile “You may think this will be over quickly and that soon you will all be reunited and you will get your happy ending. But my sweet child, the games have only just begun...”

**Author's Note:**

> I have just started writing fan fiction. I hope you guys like it and let me know you would like any more? I’m thinking of continuing with what their child gets up to during the uprisings


End file.
